Political Football

by Barry Flynn

On 27 December 1948, rioting broke out during a match between Belfast Celtic and Linfield. Jimmy Jones, a prolific goalscorer for Belfast Celtic, was dragged from the pitch by the opposing fans, and beaten so badly that his career was ended. And with that ended the existence of Belfast Celtic after fifty-eight years in the game. In Political Football Barry Flynn traces the development of the team from its beginnings, in an attempt to discover the reasons behind the tragic events. Like that of every football club, the story of Belfast Celtic is one of victories and defeats. Theirs, however, is a story riddled with violence and hatred culminating in near-murder. Political Football reveals how the political and social unrest that took hold of the city of Belfast was reflected in the history of the club, how tensions between two communities spilled onto both the pitch and the terraces, with devastating consequences.

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just the life & death of a football club but the political background to this poisonous environment of loyalst ascendancy. Belfast Celtic dominated Irish football for decades and became legendary in their own lifetime when defeating a strong Scotland national side. A well written and informed account of this famous club which is still missed to this day.